


Intimacies Part 1: Shaving

by jelazakazone



Series: Intimacies [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 2012, Gen, Intimacy, M/M, Other, Sexuality, Shaving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-26
Updated: 2012-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-30 03:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/327250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelazakazone/pseuds/jelazakazone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin gives three important men a shave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intimacies Part 1: Shaving

**Author's Note:**

> I came across these entries on intimacy other than sexual intimacy and was very intrigued to try to write pieces using some of these scenarios. At first, I was just going to try for non-sexual scenarios but then I decided to attempt to write three different kinds of relationships. I have attempted non-sexual, asexual, and sexual here, but I think the asexual one is in some grey area and not actually asexual.  
> http://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/memories?user=jelazakazone&keyword=intimacy+in+fiction&filter=all I want to thank skuares and dorkathus for talking through these with me.

Uther started upright when Merlin walked in, straight razor and strop in hand. “Merlin,” Uther squawked. “What are you doing here? No no, I know, George is being retained elsewhere and so he sent you. Ok then boy, get on with the job.” Uther settled himself back in the chair and tried to relax as Merlin came closer.  
  
Merlin reached for the boar bristle brush and wet it in the nearby bowl. He swirled the brush around on the cake of soap, producing a prodigious lather and then approached his king. Uther tensed again as Merlin’s footsteps drew near. Merlin reached out and put a firm hand on Uther’s shoulder. Noticing that Merlin had only the brush in hand, he relaxed. Merlin smoothed lather on Uther’s chin and neck firmly and briskly. Twisting around, he swapped the brush for the razor and turned back to the job. Before Uther had a chance to tense up again, Merlin removed lather and stubble in quick firm strokes.  
  
Stunned, Uther was unable to move. The shave had been so quick and he hadn’t been nicked once. Uther coughed a little before saying, “Thank you Merlin. You may go now.” He had no idea this foolish stumbling servant had been capable of a decent shave.  
  
\--------------------  
  
Lancelot moaned. He held his right arm tightly to his body. Merlin blanched. “Are you ok, Lancelot?” he asked. Putting his hand on Lancelot’s left shoulder, Merlin looked directly into Lancelot’s eyes and asked again, “Are you ok?”  
  
Lancelot gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and said, “I’ll be ok, but,” and started to trail off. Merlin grasped his shoulder a little more firmly and said, “But?”  
  
“I cannot shave and we have that ceremony to attend this afternoon,” he finished. Merlin tenderly trailed his hand down Lancelot’s arm and cupped the other man’s elbow. He said softly, “Let me help you.” Tears bright in Lancelot’s eyes, he nodded his head in agreement.  
  
Still holding Lancelot’s elbow, Merlin led him to a chair. He held up his hands, signaling to the other man to wait, and dashed out of the room. Moments later he came back with a towel over his arm, brush and razor in one hand and bowl of water in the other. He gently tucked the towel in Lancelot’s tunic. With a quick dip, the brush was wet and quickly full of lather after just a few strokes on the soap cake. Merlin carefully brushed his face and neck and easily swapped brush for razor. Concerned about jostling the injured arm, Merlin stayed on one side and leaned over his friend, making sure to exert just the right amount of pressure to scrape only stubble and lather away. Finishing up, Lancelot sighed and reached out with his good arm to grasp Merlin’s hand said, “Thank you. A knight must look his best on these occasions.”  
  
\--------  
  
Merlin leaned in close and scraped his smooth cheek against the other man’s stubbly cheek. “Ouch!” he declared. Arthur rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Mmmmm?” he managed.  
  
Merlin sat up and said, “It’s time for a shave.” He threw back the covers and disappeared into the next room. When he reappeared he said, “Arthur, get out of bed and sit in that chair near the window where the light is good.” As he set the shaving kit down on the table, Arthur moved slowly over to the chair, still dazed from sleep. When Merlin turned around to begin lathering Arthur’s face, he found the man sitting bonelessly, lids closed, and a light snore coming from his mouth. Smiling, Merlin held the brush aloft in his right hand and straddled Arthur’s right leg. He caressed the sleeping man’s cheek with his left hand, slowly tickling him under the chin and Arthur snorted awake.  
  
“Now that I’ve got your attention, I can begin,” Merlin announced. He carefully drew the sharp blade across Arthur’s chin and neck, blowing across smooth wet skin occasionally. When all the lather had been scraped away, Arthur put his hands on Merlin’s hips and drew him in. Arthur rested his head on Merlin’s chest for a moment until Merlin leaned down, and purred as his cheek met the newly shaven skin.

**Author's Note:**

> Find it on LJ at: http://jelazakazone.livejournal.com/538579.html#cutid1


End file.
